Coin chute antitheft device



March 5, 1968 M. A. HALL 3,371,763

COIN CHUTE ANTITHEFT DEVICE I Filed Feb. 9, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheefl M/VEWTUI? FIG'B 5a MITCHELL A. HALL HIM March 5, 1968 M. A. HALL 3,371,763

COIN CHUTE ANTITHEFT DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MITCHELL A. HALL v BY FIG|3 70 ATT RIVE) United States Patent O 3,371,763 COIN CHUTE ANTITHEFT DEVICE Mitchell Adam Hall, 445 Rossford Ave., Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075 Filed Feb. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 614,866 17 Claims. (Cl; 194-97) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The coin chute includes simple means for gradually reducing clearances between a coin slide and its supporting passageway, to bind and immobilize any shim employed in an attempt to obtain fraudulent free play or illegitimatedispensation of goods or services from a dispensing machine controlled by the coin chute. Extreme clearance reduction occurs only momentarily, so that the slide normally moves freely through the major portion of its stroke, even in the presence of accumulated dirt, gum and other foreign materials. Insertion of a shim and concurrent advancement of the slide immobilizes the shim against maneuverability.

This invention relates to a coin chute antitheft device, and method of precluding theft of merchandise or service by artful unauthorized manipulation of the coin chute with the aid of shims or wires.

The majority of coin-controlled machines for vending articles or services, include a coin chute having a reciprocable coin slide to be manipulated by hand, in order to advance one or more coins to testing devices which determine acceptability of the coin or coins. If the coins are acceptable under test, the coin slide is permitted a full advancement, so as to initiate actuation of the vending machine or service machine in a normal manner of operation. On the other hand, coins or slugs rejected by the testing devices will operate to preclude a full advancement of the coin slide, thereby precluding actuation of the vending or service machine.

It has been discovered that artful persons seeking free play of coin-controlled machines of various kinds, use very thin metallic ribbons or wires, usually referred to as shims, to assist in obtaining free play and unauthorized dispensation of goods, services, and the like. A ribbonlike thin shim of metal commonly is inserted above or beneath the coin slide, sometimes through the exposed coin-receiving aperture thereof while the. slide is either fully or partially withdrawn, and by skillful manipulation of the inserted shim it is often possible to trip various latches, dogs, or calipering buttons in such a manner as to obtain a free play without the use of proper coins or tokens. In like manner, it has been possible to insert a thin wire shim into the coin chute along a side edge thereof, while the coin slide is either fully or partially withdrawn, to trip various elements of the coin chute mechanism and thereby obtain free play.

The manipulations above referred to are possible by reason of the fact that clearances greater than a shim thickness exist between the reciprocable coin slide and the passageway in which it is supported for movement. The existing clearances cannot with practicality be reduced substantially during manufacture of the coin chute, due to the fact that the body thereof is a die casting in which the passageway for the slide is formed by tapered mandrels which require clearance relief for withdrawal from the die. Each mandrel therefore is necessarily slightly tapered in one direction to facilitate the draw, so the passageway formed by the mandrel has a gradual taper. The manufacturing process accordingly is responsible for clearances that might be considered excessive.

Very close tolerances between the slide surfaces and 3,371,763 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 patronage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a coin chute structure which may not be operated illegitimately with the aid of thin shims, in either a wire or ribbon form, inserted into the coin slide passageway.

Another object of the invention is to thwart the aforesaid illegitimate operation, without risk of unduly increasing drag on the slide movements.

Another object is to accomplish the foregoing objectives by substantially reducing certain clearances between the coin slide and its die cast passageway, without altering the preferred die casting method of forming the chute body or housing which supports the coin slide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and practical method of minimizing coin slide clearance within a passageway of a die cast body or housing, to preclude the illegitimate insertion of shims between the cpin slide and the housing passageway for obtaining free p ay.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a coin chute typical of one to which the present invention is applicable.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a typical coin slide embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal cross-section of the coin chute of FIG. 1, showing in exaggerated form the usual clearance between a retracted coin slide and the passageway in which it may reciprocate.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 3 structure, showing the coin slide partially advanced to reduce the slide clearance.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal crosssection through the coin chute of FIG. 1, indicating the illegitimate insertion of shims into the slide passageway.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing a shim inserted into the slide passageway while the slide is retracted.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, indicating how the shim is disabled by binding in the passageway as the slide is partially advanced.

FIG. 8 is a fragmental cross-section showing a Wire shim inserted in the coin slide passageway along one side edge of the coin slide, and stopped by a miniature lug formed on the slide.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal cross-section of a coin slide and housing assembly, showing a modified form of means to thwart projection of a shim through the coin slide passageway along one side edge thereof.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of FIG. 9 in plan.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 1313 of FIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 20 denotes an elongate substantially flat coin slide which is reciprocable within a passageway of housing or body 22. As is usual, the coin slide is reciprocable between a retracted position and a position of full advancement, by means of an exposed handle 24. An aperture 26 in the slide is receptive of a coin or token to be advanced by the slide and subjected to various tests in accordance with common practice. If the coin successfully passes the several tests, the

' coin slide may be advanced fully to a position at which it initiates operation of a machine for dispensing goods, services, or the like. Should the coin prove unacceptable under test, certain safety devices within or upon housing 22 act to prevent a full advancement of coin slide 20, and dispensing accordingly will not result. In FIG. 2, the numeral 25 indicates the customary coin pushers mounted upon the slide.

Upon FIG. 1 is indicated, at 27, one of several coin testing devices carried by housing 22, and at 28 is a ratchet mechanism to prevent repeated reciprocation of the slide after a coin acceptance, in any attempt to obtain more goods or services than are intended. Housing 22 will be understood to carry also a coin caliper, a magnet, and perhaps other devices for the testing and the acceptance or rejection of coins or slugs. The spring shown at 30 urges the coin slide toward the retracted position after each dispensing operation resulting from a full advancement of the coin slide.

The coin slide 20 with the exception of handle 24, is substantially flat and of uniform thickness throughout its length. It has parallel side edges 32, 34, and an inner end 36 .opposite the handle end 24. The upper and lower planar faces of the slide contain the coin-receptive aperture 26.

It is necessary to understand that the housing or body 22 of the coin chute structure is a die casting in one piece, having opposite end portions 38, 40 and an intermediate portion 42 which may include an integral mounting bracket 44. In casting the housing, a passageway for the coin slide is formed therein with the use of two slightly tapered mandrels which are drawn outwardly in opposite directions from the housing ends 38 and 40. Because of the tapers of the mandrels, the passageway formed thereby is tapered in correspondency with the mandrel tapers, so that the endmost portions of the passageway are larger in width and height than is the intermediate portion of the passageway. This condition is shown upon the drawings in exaggerated form, where the end portions 46 and 48 of the passageway are shown larger than the intermediate portion or constricted zone 50.

In FIG. 3, the coin slide 20 will be understood to have a normal sliding fit through the constricted region 50 of the passageway. The slide here is shown fully retracted. The clearance between the slide and the upper wall of the passageway at 50 will normally approximate .007 inch after machining. This amount of clearance is desirable for smooth and easy reciprocation of the coin slide through the passageway. The clearance is seen to increase gradually in the direction of the passageway ends 46 and 48, due to the draw .of the tapered mandrels as previously explained.

The region of minimal clearance at 50 is not sufiiciently constricted to prevent the insertion and artful manipulation of a shim, in the illegitimate attempt to trip or nullify operation of devices incorporated in the chute structure for the purpose of thwarting free play. A steel shim can be made as thin as .003 inch, without destroying its effectiveness as an instrument of fraudulent usage. Therefore, in order to prevent insertion and manipulation of the shim within the most constricted region 50 of the slide passageway, the slide clearance there must be reduced to .003 inch or less when the slide is favorably disposed for shim manipulation. It may here be noted that the shim generally is useless for obtaining free play while the slide is fully retracted; that is, a partial advancement of the slide is prerequisite to any successful manipulation of the inserted shim.

FIG. 6 shows coin slide 20 fully retracted, with a thin ribbon-like shim S projected through the constricted region 50 of the slide passageway. As above stated, the shim though inserted through the passageway, cannot successfully be used to obtain free play while slide 20 is retracted. If the slide be partially advanced to the right with the shim inserted, as in FIG. 7, the shim will be cramped or bound against possible manipulation, by the action of means constituting the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a planar face of slide 20 is provided with at least one miniature lug, protuberance, or pimple 52 extended therefrom, to ride upon an inner inclined face of the slide passageway as the slide reciprocates. The lug or pimple 52 projects only a limited distance from a planar face of the slide, so that in accordance with FIG. 4, it will not normally bind within the constricted area 50 of the slide passageway during full advancement of the slide. However, the lug 52 in advancing over the tapered or inclined surface 54 of the passageway while approaching area 50 (compare FIGS. 3 and 4), will effect a gradual reduction of clearance at 50. The reduced clearance at 50, FIG. 4, preferably is less than .003 inch, or less than the thickness of a manipulatable thin shim S.

From the foregoing, it will readily be understood that advancement of coin slide 20 toward the right, from the FIG. 6 position to the FIG. 7 position, will cause lug 52 to ascend the inclined surface 54 until shim S is firmly clamped or bound at the constricted area 50. The binding of the shim not only destroys its maneuverability, but renders impossible a full advancement of the slide toward the right, for actuating any dispensing machine.

The lug or pimple 52 may be formed at one face of slide 20 in any suitable manner, as by pressing indentations 56 into the opposite face of the slide. The indentations and corresponding lugs or pimples 52 may be elongate, as in FIG. 5, or if desired, they may be made simply dome-shaped as by means of a round punch. In a preferred constriction, a plurality of lugs or pimples 52 span the width of the coin slide, as in FIGS. 2 and 5. The lugs or pimples may be placed at any appropriate location adjacent to coin aperture 26, usually between aperture 26 and handle 24.

As previously stated, the lugs or pimples 52 are dimensioned to pass freely through the constricted portion 50 of the slide passageway when no shim S is present therein; however, the lugs or pimples must extend sufiiciently to bind the advancing slide within area 50 when the thinnest possible shim is inserted either above or beneath the slide. The thickness of any practically maneuverable thin shim may approximate .003 inch or more.

The means above described will perform to thwart any attempt to obtain free play by insertion of a thin shim above or beneath the planar faces of slide 20.

In some instances, a shim in the form of a thin wire may be employed to obtain free play, by inserting the wire shim into the slide passageway along one side edge of the slide. FIGS. 5 and 8 show a wire shim W so inserted, the leading end of shim W being shown at 58.

To prevent full insertion of shim W through the constricted region of the slide passageway, a side edge 32 of the coin slide may be provided with an extended miniature lug or pimple 60, to bar advancement of the end 58 of shim W through the passageway. The lug or pimple 60 is to be extended laterally from the side edge of the coin slide a proper distance such that the lug or pimple normally may pass freely through the constricted region of the passageway upon advancement of the coin slide, but will strike a tapered side wall of the passageway to displace the slide sidewise as the slide advances. The sidewise displacement of the slide should be sufficient to reduce the clearance at one side edge of the slide, to an amount not exceeding the diameter or thickness of wire shim W. A wire shim W, in order to be maneuverable,

will ordinarily be not less than about .003 inch in thickness.

From the foregoing, it will be understood by referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, that lug or pimple 60 may form a physical barrier to insertion of shim W along one side edge 32 of slide 20. Should insertion of the shim be attempted along the opposite side edge 34 of the slide, the shim would be cramped or bound against maneuverability, be-

tween slide edge 34 and the adjacent tapered side wall of the housing passageway. The same binding or cramping of the shim would result if its end 58 were to pass the lug or pimple 60, because of the clearance reduction there occurring incident to any attempt to advance the slide 20.

The lug or pimple 60 may be formed along the side edge of slide 20 in any suitable manner, as by displacement of the slide metal by punching or swaging.

The modification, FIGS. 9 to 13, depicts a coin chute structure similar to that of FIG. 1, wherein are provided alternative means of thwarting a successful manipulation of shims in an attempt to obtain free play. Here, the coin slide carries no lugs or pimples such as .5 2 and 60, and the passageway and slide dimensions are gauged for normal clearance in accordance with customary practice. Means are provided, however, to reduce the effective clearance between the slide and the passageway Walls after assembly of the coin chutestructure, so as to render impossible the insertion and manipulation of very thin shim such as S and W.

The means for so reducing slide clearance may comprise a row of adjustable round-nosed screws 66, screwthreaded into the material of housing 22 so as to enter the slide passageway according to FIG. 12. The rounded noses 68 of the screws bear upon one planar face of slide 20, to the extent of displacing the slide until the opposite face of the slide nearly touches an adjacent wall of the passageway with a reduction of clearance which is less than the thickness of the thinnest maneuverable shim S. The several screws 66 (FIG. 10), are closely spaced from one another so as to form an effective shim barrier across the width of the slide. The screws are individually adjustable, and may project into the passageway at an angle, FIG. 12., to bar entry of the shim S.

At one side edge of housing 22. may be placed an adjustable screw 70 having a rounded nose 72 to bear against one side edge of slide 20, to displace the slide laterally within its plane of reciprocation. The nose end of screw 70 may provide a barrier to intercept the end 58 of an inserted shim W (FIG. 13), and projection of said screw may displace the slide sidewise toward the opposite wall of the passageway until the clearance there is less than the thickness or the diameter of any effectively maneuverable thin shim that maybe inserted in the region of reduced clearance.

Since the barrier devices or screws 66- and 70 have virtually a point contact against the slide surfaces, the slide may be actuated smoothly and without objectionable drag within the constricted region of the housing passageway. The barrier devices or screw disclosed are so located as to preclude any inserted shim from reaching a vulnerable part that might be tripped or rendered inoperative by the shim or shims, in the effort to obtain free play or fraudulent dispensation of goods or services.

The means of the present invention provides for a simple and very inexpensive method and means to pre clude the illegitimate use and manipulation of the thinnest and most delicate shims in an effort to nullify the effective functioning of safety devices designed to thwart fraudulent misuse of machines controlled by a coin chute device. The means disclosed possesses the further advantage of offering no appreciable resistance to normal manipulation of the coin slide, even in the presence of accumulated dirt, gum, or other foreign substances that may enter the coin slide passageway.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the structural details of the device, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin chute device, a substantially fiat elongate coin slide of uniform thickness having upper and lower planar faces, opposed parallel side edges, an outer handle end, and an opposite inner end, said slide being apertured in the planar faces at a location intermediate the ends thereof to receive a coin; an elongate housing having opposed outer and inner ends, and an intermediate portion, said housing having a continuous open-ended passageway therein extending from one end of the housing to the opposite end thereof for slidably supporting the coin slide for reciprocation between a retracted position and an advanced position of the inner end of said slide; the passageway being flared to enlarged dimensions of width and height outwardly toward both open ends thereof, from the situs of the intermediate portion of the housing Where the passageway dimensions are constricted to accommodate the width and the thickness of the slide with less clearance than at the opposite ends of the passageway; and miniature extended lug means carried by the coin slide at a location thereon remote from the constricted region of the passageway when said slide is retracted, said lug means being movable into and through the constricted region of the passageway upon advancement of the coin slide, to strike a wall of the passageway and laterally deflect the coin slide so as to substantially reduce the passageway clearance at said constricted region when the slide is partially advanced, thereby to prevent passage of thin shims through the constricted region of the passageway as reduced by the action of said lug means.

2. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the miniature lug means extends beyond a side edge of the coin slide.

3. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the miniature lug means extends beyond a planar face of the coin slide. I

4. The device as specified by claim 3, wherein said lug means is located between the coin-receptive aperture and the handle end of the coin slide.

5. The device as specified by claim 2, wherein the miniature lug means is located between the coin-receptive aperture and the handle end of the coin slide.

6. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the miniature lug means is located between the coin-receptive aperture and the handle end of the coin slide.

7. The device as specified by claim 3, wherein the miniature lug means is constituted of a plurality of lugs closely spaced apert in spanning relation across substantially the full width of the coin slide.

8. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein said lug means spans substantially the full width of the coin slide.

9. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein said lug means extends beyond a side edge of the coin slide, and beyond a planar face of said slide.

10. In a coin chute device, a substantially flat elongate coin slide of uniform thickness having upper and lower planar faces, opposed parallel side edges, an outer handle end, and an opposite inner end, said slide being apertured in the planar faces thereof at a location intermediate the ends thereof to receive a coin; an elongate housing having opposed outer and inner ends, and an intermediate portion, said housing having a continuous open-ended passageway therein extending from one end of the housing to the opposite end thereof for slidably supporting the coin slide for reciprocation between a retracted position and an advanced position of the inner end of said slide; the passageway being flared to enlarged dimensions of width and height outwardly toward both open ends thereof, from the situs of the intermediate portion of the housing where the passageway dimensions are constricted to accommodate the width and the thickness of the slide with less clearance than at the opposite ends of the passageway; and means for deflecting the coin slide laterally within the passageway to minimize clearance along at least one face of the coin slide, for precluding insertion of a shim at the region of minimized clearance.

11. The device as specified by claim 10, wherein the last-mentioned means is adjustable for establishing a predetermined value of the minimized clearance aforesaid,

and said means constitutes a barrier to shim insertion along the remaining face of the coin slide.

12. The device as specified by claim 10, wherein is included means for deflecting the coin slide laterally in the plane thereof and within the passageway, to minimize clearance along one side edge of the coin slide, for precluding entry of a shim through the passageway along said one side edge of the coin slide.

13. The device as sepcified by claim 12, wherein the means last mentioned is adjustable to vary the clearance along said one side edge of the coin slide, and said means last mentioned constitutes a barrier to shim insertion along the remaining side edges of the coin slide.

14. The device as specified by claim 11, wherein said adjustable means is carried by the housing and located at the constricted region of the coin slide passageway.

15. The device as specified by claim 10, wherein the deflecting means for the coin slide is carried by the housing and located at the constricted region of the coin slide passageway.

16. The device as specified by claim 15, wherein the deflecting means for the coin slide is adjustable to vary the clearance within the passageway at said one face of the coin slide, and said deflecting means constitutes a barrier to shim insertion along the remaining face of the coin slide.

17. The device as specified by claim 16, wherein said deflecting means comprises a row of screws arranged transversely of the coin slide, said screws having ends to bear upon said remaining face of the coin slide at closely spaced intervals.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

